Bathing suit



May 1, 1934.

G. F. EARNSHAW BATHING SUIT Filed Feb. 18, 1952 A7727 NE).

Patented May 1, 1934 UNiTD NT QFECE BATHING sUrr Application February 18, 1932, Serial No. 593,733

1 Claim.

This invention relates to bathing suits and more particularly to a one piece garment.

One of the purposes of the invention is the production of a garment of the character described so designed as to arlord the necessary concealment for the body yet leaving the various parts of the body free and unhampered in their movements.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a bathing suit adapted to lit the body of the wear r snugly yet having a relatively high elasticity to avoid any sensation of restriction thereby conducing to the comfort of the wearer.

A further object is the provision of a garment in which the inner face which contacts the skin is free from color, being either of bleached or unbleached yarns, and the outer exposed face is of one or more colors.

An additional object is to produce a garment of simple and attractive design and construction which can be made at a low cost.

C-ther objects of the invention will be more specifically set forth and described hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawing illustrating one embodiment of the invention, Figure l is a front view of a bathing suit constructed in accordance therewith; Fig. 2 is a rear view of the same and Fig. 3 is a front view of the lower part of the garment shown in Figure 1 provided with a skirt portion.

In carrying out my invention, the bathing suit may be made of any suitable materials such as cotton or wool either knitted or woven. Preferably, however, it is made of a knitted fabric having a double face which may be produced in any Well known manner. Such material has the advantage of being stretchable to fit the body and, at the same time, of having a double face, the inner face of which may be composed of bleached or colorless yarns and the outer face of colored yarns to impart an attractive and colorful appearance to the garments.

Referring to the drawing, one form of garment made in accordance with the invention is shown comprising a trunk portion made up of a front part 10 and a back part 12 fastened together at their adjacent sides by elastic stitching 14 and 16 and to a crotch insert 18 by similar stitching 20 and 22. Leg openings 24 and 26 are thereby formed, the edges of which may be turned inwardly and fastened in folded position to present a finished folded edge by elastic stitching 28.

The front part 10 is extended upwardly to form an extension 30 designed to cover the front upper portion of the body of the wearer and at its upper not the extension has a pair of further separated extensions 32 and 34 each having sides converging upwardly from said extension 30 to end in strap formations 26 and 38 respectively. The back part 12 of the trunk portion is provided with a similar pair of upwardly projecting separated extensions 40 and 42 merging into strap formations 44 and 46 respectively, the ends or" which are fastened by stitching or otherwise to the ends of the straps 36 and 38 respectively to serve as shoulder straps.

The meeting of the inner edges of the extensions 32 and 34 forms a neck band 48 and outer edges converge inwardly to expose the shoulders and arms of the wearer. Connecting the upper portions of the two sides 50 and 52 of the front extension 30 is a band 54 adapted to pass under the arms of the wearer and to overlie the back straps 44 and 46, the purpose of this band being to hold the front upper portion of the garment T5 snugly to the body.

All the edges of the garment are preferably finished by folding them over and fastening them by elastic stitchin 56 which permits these edges to stretch insofar as the wales of the material permit. Preferably, the wales in the back and front parts of the garment run vertically as indicated by the lines 58 but in the back band 54 they run longitudinally the band as indicated by the lines 60. The garment is, therefore, stretchable around the body which insures a close fit, the back band being substantially nonstretchable in that direction.

In this form of garment, the extensions of the front and back parts which merge into the shoulder straps are so cut as to present curved edges which makes a most attractive design for a garment of this character. The shoulder straps serve merely to support the garment on the body and the back band which is independent of the shoulder straps insures a close fit.

In Figure 3 is shown a slight modification consisting in providing thegarment shown in Figures 1 and 2 with a skirt portion which may be added to the garment of the latter figures by stitching a circular skirt to the trunk portion. Preferably, however, the skirt is formed as an integral part of the front and back parts of the garment shown in Figures 1 and 2 and the trunk portion is made independently and secured at its upper edge to the inner face of the skirt portion near the waistline. Referring to Figure 3, the front part of the garment comprises a skirt portion 62 and an upper part 30 having shoulder straps and being of the same construction shown in Figures 1 and 2. The back has a skirt portion similar to the portion 62 but its upper part is of the same construction as shown in said Figures 1 and 2. The two skirt portions are united together at the sides by stitching 64 with their lower edges folded and stitched at 66 and the trunk portion is made up of front and back parts 68 and '70 respectively with a crotch insert 72 and is secured to the inner faces of the skirt parts by elastic stitching '74.

This modified form is especially adapted for use by women and girls since it contributes to modest appearance without detracting from the advantages of the exposure to sunlight and attractive appearance afforded by the upper part of the garment.

It will be observed that a bathing suit constructed in accordance with my invention exposes the shoulders, the sides and a large portion of the back of the body of the wearer to the influence of the suns rays which is admitted to be beneficial to health and yet it conforms to all the dictates of modesty.

The use of a double faced fabric due to the method of knitting such a fabric increases the stretchability thereof improving the fit of the garment and the contact of the colorless inner face of the garment with the skin is apt to be less irritating thereto than is the case with colored fabrics.

It is to be understood that my invention is not to be limited to the exact forms herein shown and described since it may be embodied in other forms within the purview of the following claim.

What I claim is:

A garment of the character described comprising a trunk portion having leg openings and having its front part extended upwardly to cover the front only of the body of the wearer, a pair of relatively narrow shoulder straps connecting said front extension to the rear of said trunk portion at the waistline thereof, and a relatively wide transverse back band connecting the two sides of said front extension at the tops thereof and being adapted to fit closely in the arm-pits and over the shoulder blades of the wearer for holding at all times the upper part of said front extension in close engagement with the breast portion of the body of the wearer irrespective of the posture thereof, said back band overlying said shoulder straps in the rear and being free of attachment thereto thereby permitting free movement of said straps without displacing said band, said back band having a straight upper edge and a slightly curved lower edge for diminishing the width of said band in its center portion for preventing curling of the edges thereof, the sides and back of the wearer above the waistline being fully exposed above and below said band except for said straps.

GEORGE F. EARNSHAW. 

